Al Ahli Alumni Guardiola Inks 3-year Term With Bayern Munich

Doha, January 17 (QNA) - Al Ahli FC alumni and former Barcelona FC manager Pep Guardiola will take up the reins of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from the end of this season for a three-year term. The German club announced the appointment of 41-year-old Spaniard to replace Jupp Heynckes who has decided not to renew his contract with the club. Guardiola. who played two seasons from 2003 for Qatar's Al Ahli, will join duty this July and handle the Bayern boys up to June 2016 according to the new deal. Welcoming Bayern Chief Executive Officer Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said, "Guardiola is one of the world's most successful coaches and we are sure he can bring a great of sparkle not only to Bayern Munich, but to German football in general." The appointment ends weeks of speculation on which club would win the race to sign up Guardiola, who announced this month he would return to coaching next season after taking a year's sabbatical. The Spanish ace stepped down as Barcelona manager at the end of last term after leading the La Liga club, where he began his career as a player to 14 trophies in four years, including two Champions League crowns and three straight Spanish league titles. Guardiola had recently expressed his desire to manage an English Premier League team in the future. (QNA)